who do I report these con artists to?

I noticed that http://irishtraining.ie say there are accredited by the distance learning accreditation council. So having never heard of the DLAC I had a look at their site and checked contact details. I found it very strange that there was no phone number and no postal address only a PO box number as a contact.

So I did a whois on both internet sites and lo and behold what comes up but..

Who is for irishtraining.ie:
domain: irishtraining.ie
descr: ITEC IRISH TRAINING & EDUCATIONAL CENTRE LIMITED
descr: Body Corporate (Ltd,PLC,Company)
descr: Corporate Name
admin-c: AAK689-IEDR
tech-c: DR195-IEDR
renewal: 10-December-2006
status: Active
nserver: auth01.weblink.ie
nserver: auth02.weblink.ie
source: IEDR

person: Sinead Oconner
nic-hdl: AAK689-IEDR
source: IEDR

person: Dave Reddy
nic-hdl: DR195-IEDR
source: IEDR


Who is for DLAC:

domain: dlac.ie
descr: Christopher Walsh
descr: Sole Trader
descr: Registered Business Name
admin-c: AAK583-IEDR
tech-c: DR195-IEDR
renewal: 15-September-2007
status: Active
nserver: auth01.weblink.ie
nserver: auth02.weblink.ie
source: IEDR

person: Sinead O Connor
nic-hdl: AAK583-IEDR
source: IEDR

person: Dave Reddy
nic-hdl: DR195-IEDR
source: IEDR


So since both websites list the same names as contacts,see bold text above, it looks like they are one and the same. How sneaky is that? Makes my blood boil to think of such dishonesty. So who do I report this to? HEA? FETAC? Is there a body overseeing groups like this?

BuffyBot

Have you tried the Department of Education and Science? That would be my first stop.

slumped

Consumer Affairs Office
irish Internet registry
DOE

S

Tom Dunne

BuffyBot wrote:

Have you tried the Department of Education and Science? That would be my first stop.

TBH, they haven't done anything illegeal. Dishonest, yes, illegal, no.

I don't think the Dept. would be too bothered - they are in no way related.

It's just a case of caveat emptor, I'm afraid.

It reminds me of those adds on the TV for people who have had an accident at work - "Call the National Insurance Claim line" it sounds official, it looks official, and of course there will be a percentage who will be duped by it.

testicle

Funnily enough also...

If you look at the list of DLAC Accredited Course Providers, it has 4 web pages.

NCC - www.theopencollege.com - Contacts are Harry Walsh and Dave Reddy.
NTA - www.nta.ie - Contacts are Sinead O'Connor and Dave Reddy.
ITEC - www.irishtraining.ie - Contacts are Sinead O'Connor and Dave Reddy.
OCDL - www.ocdl.ie - Contact is a Joe Walsh, but hosting company is the same.

Zsuzso71

testicle wrote:

Funnily enough also...

If you look at the list of DLAC Accredited Course Providers, it has 4 web pages.

NCC - www.theopencollege.com - Contacts are Harry Walsh and Dave Reddy.
NTA - www.nta.ie - Contacts are Sinead O'Connor and Dave Reddy.
ITEC - www.irishtraining.ie - Contacts are Sinead O'Connor and Dave Reddy.
OCDL - www.ocdl.ie - Contact is a Joe Walsh, but hosting company is the same.

Well, I am so glad found this topic. I was thinking about a course by ITEC, but now.....I won't go there. :mad: Many thanks to you!!!!!!!;)

Tav

@nixmix

Did you report on them to anyone in the end?
What happend?

Tav

Minitonka

I have been watching this organisation operating also for the last number of years and have copped on to the different names they use such as the National Training Authority (NTA), the Irish Training and Educational Centre (ITEC), the National College of Communications (NCC) and Open College for Direct Learning all "accredited" by the Distance Learning Accreditation Council which has absolutely nothing to do with the Department of Education, HETAC or FETAC or FAS or any other professional body. Strictly speaking, I suppose there is nothing to stop anybody offering a course in something. There is no law against it to the best of my knowledge. When people see the word "National" in the name of something, it is often assumed that it is approved by some government body. In this case, using the name the National Training Authority would make people think that it has something to do with FAS which is described on their own website (www.fas.ie) as being "Ireland's National Training and Employment Authority". When people see ITEC, most of them would automatically think of the International Examination Board in the UK which accredits many of the complementary, beauty and sport related courses. Full coloured page ads appear in some of the Sunday papers for a huge range of different courses from these organisations mentioned above and anyone considering taking any of them should think very carefully before they hand over their hard earned cash. It is very important that any distance learning course one does is accredited by either a recognised third level college, professional organisation or other recognised body otherwise it is not worth the paper it is written on. As a previous contributor said above "Buyer beware!"